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As gasoline prices approach $3 per gallon,
our attention is forcibly turned toward energy conservation, a
direction that ought to be natural in April, the month of Earth
Day. Rather than just cursing the petroleum companies, each of us
as individuals has an opportunity and even an obligation to explore
ways we can incorporate alternative energies in our lifestyle.
Conservation is the simplest and least difficult step. Before
committing to ethanol fuel or solar power, the first question
simply is to ask "how can I use less energy?" Turning off the
unnecessary light and eliminating the extra trip to the store are
the beginning of a voyage into energy independence. The most
radical ride may be in a solar electric vehicle.
Florida well deserves its nickname as the
"Sunshine State" and many opportunities exist to incorporate solar
power into our lives. The efficiency and effectiveness of solar hot
water and solar pool heating systems is well-documented. During new
construction, a relatively minimal investment will produce
long-term returns. Florida lawmakers have recognized the viability
of such investments and the importance of encouraging them by
instituting rebates and grants that directly subsidize homeowners.
Homeowners willing to invest in photovoltaics — direct
generation of electricity from sunlight — may receive rebates
up to $20,000 for a single residential installation. Commercial
properties can qualify for up to $100,000 per installation.
Deregulation of energy systems also has produced "Net Metering,"
which requires utility companies to credit solar energy producers
with the value of any surplus electricity they return to the grid.
It literally is possible to make your electric meter run
backward.
An even more radical step is to directly
counter gasoline usage with electric vehicles. Not just for golf
and games, and not just for some vague time in the future, electric
cars have immediate potential as low-speed local-use vehicles.
Improving battery technology and solar systems can be combined in
vehicles that never have to visit a gasoline station.
Changes in federal and state law now allow
a properly equipped, low-speed vehicle — meaning it has
appropriate safety equipment — to operate on neighborhood
streets, those posted at 35 mph or less. A whole new class of
vehicles called Neighborhood Electric Vehicles is being introduced
to the market with this new regulation. Such vehicles operate at
speeds up to 25 mph, faster than golf carts, which have a top speed
of 15 mph. The difference is critical. At 25 mph such vehicles
become useful for short trips and are ideal for use in residential
communities for short trips and local commuting.
Many local residents are demanding
traffic-calming measures in their neighborhoods. Officials at city
and county levels should pay attention to neighborhood electric
vehicles as yet another alternative to more stop signs and speed
humps. The presence of dozens, maybe even hundreds, of vehicles
that never go more than 25 mph would help calm neighborhood traffic
— and quiet it as well. Electric vehicles not only do not
emit exhaust fumes, the only noise is the sound of their tires on
the pavement.
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Front Page 
Op-Ed 
